Suppose there is a leak in gas pipeline. I just have a sensor to measure concentration of gas in air. Can I calculate leakage flow rate of gas by using gas concentration at two or more positions?
There is a relationship between flow rate and concentration:
Concentration 1 x flow rate upstream of the leak = concentration 2 x flow rate of the leak + concentration 3 x the flow rate downstream of the leak
C1Q1 = C2Q2 + C3Q3.
Without the flow rates upstream and downstream, it is not possible to use the concentration value by itself. And if you have both flow rates, you can determine the leakage flow rate without concentration (Q1 = Q2 + Q3).
The possibility of determining the leakage rate from the process pipeline to the ambient depends whether ambient is confined space or not. If the ambient is confined, then, the rate of increase of the process gas concentration in the ambient can approximately indicate the leakage rate. If the calibration is established with known quantity of leakage rate. Then the result could be more accurate.
I agree with William and K. If the air around the pipeline is able to move—as it most likely is—then the concentrations would only yield a multiplier upon an unknown quantity (the flux and expansion of the air). If you must guess at the air movement, then your leakage calculations would be less accurate than the guess (guess * uncertain quantity = even less certain quantity).
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